The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Cante Fir09.’
‘Cante Fir09’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘Cante Fir09’ has a bold fire-red flower color, semi-trailing habit of ivy types, heat tolerance of zonal types, foliage that has good resistance to edema, dense plant habit and excellent branching.
‘Cante Fir09’ originated from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The female parent was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘9618-1’ with dark red color. ‘9618-1’ has less vigor, smaller plant habit and is a Pelargonium hortorum hybrid compared to ‘Cante Fir09.’
The male parent of ‘Cante Fir09’ was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘9906-7’ with red color. ‘9906-7’ has less vigor, lighter foliage, a more irregular plant shape and is a Interspecific hybrid compared to ‘Cante Fir09.’
‘Cante Fir09’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in 2005 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Cante Fir09’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the January 2005 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in August 2005 in Gilroy, Calif. USA, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Cante Fir09’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
‘Cante Fir09’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Canada on Aug. 23, 2007 and in Germany on Jul. 2, 2007. ‘Cante Fir09’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.